List of prime ministers of Japan facts for kids

The west façade of the Kantei (valley side), the official residence of the prime minister

The east façade of the Kantei

The Prime Minister of Japan is the country's head of government and the leader of the Cabinet. This is a list of prime ministers of Japan, from when the first Japanese prime minister (in the modern sense), Itō Hirobumi, took office in 1885, until the present day.

32 prime ministers under the Meiji Constitution had a mandate from the Emperor. The "electoral mandates" shown are for the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Imperial Diet, which was not constitutionally guaranteed to have any influence on the appointment of the prime minister.

The prime minister under the Constitution of Japan is designated from among the members of the National Diet, and appointed by the Emperor after being nominated by the National Diet.

The prime ministership of Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni, who was prime minister for fifty-four days in 1945, was the shortest in Japanese history. Shinzo Abe served the longest, with eight years over two non-consecutive periods.

The current prime minister is Fumio Kishida, who assumed office on 4 October 2021. There are currently ten living former prime ministers. The most recent former prime minister to die, Shinzo Abe, was assassinated on 8 July 2022.

From 1871 to 1885

The office of Daijō-daijin (太政大臣, Chancellor of the Realm of Japan) was the equivalent of what would become the office of prime minister. It was an ancient role which had been discontinued in the 18th century and briefly revived during the Meiji era.

Daijō-daijin (Chancellor of the Realm)

List of Daijō-daijin (Chancellor of the Realm) (1871–1885)

Portrait		Daijō-daijin Office (Lifespan)	Term of office			Mandate	Party	Government	Emperor Reign
			start	end	duration
		Prince Sanjō Sanetomi 三條 實美 (1837–1891)	13 September 1871	22 December 1885	14 years, 101 days	—	None		Meiji r. 1867 – 1912 (Meiji era)

The office of Daijō-daijin was abolished in December 1885 with the appointment of Itō Hirobumi in the new position of prime minister of Japan (内閣総理大臣, Naikaku Sōri-Daijin).

Since 1885

Prime ministers

• • 19th century
  • 20th century
  • 21st century

• ---

• • Meiji
  • Taishō
  • Shōwa
  • Heisei
  • Reiwa

• ---

• •      Nonpartisan   (9)
  •      Military (Army) (6)
  •      Military (Navy) (5)
  •      Kenseitō   (1)
  •      Rikken Seiyūkai   (6)
  •      Rikken Dōshikai (1)
  •      Kenseikai   (2)
  •      Rikken Minseitō   (2)
  •      Taisei Yokusankai   (4)
  •      Imperial Family (1)
  •      Liberal (1945–1948)   (1)
  •      Socialist   (2)
  •      Democratic (1947–1950)   (1)
  •      Democratic Liberal   (1)
  •      Liberal (1950–1955)   (1)
  •      Democratic (1954–1955) (1)
  •      Liberal Democratic   (24)
  •      New   (1)
  •      Renewal   (1)
  •      Democratic (1998–2016)   (3)

List of prime ministers of Japan since 1885

Portrait		Prime minister Office (Lifespan)	Term of office			Mandate	Party	Government	Emperor Reign	Ref
			Start	End	Duration
		Count Itō Hirobumi 伊藤 博文 (1841–1909)	22 December 1885	30 April 1888	2 years, 131 days	—	Independent (Meiji oligarchy)	1. Itō I	Meiji r. 1867 – 1912 (Meiji era)
		Count Kuroda Kiyotaka 黒田 清隆 (1840–1900)	30 April 1888	25 October 1889	1 year, 179 days	—	Military (Army)	2. Kuroda
		Prince Sanjō Sanetomi 三條 實美 (1837–1891) Caretaker	25 October 1889	24 December 1889	61 days	—	Independent	Sanjō caretaker
		Count Yamagata Aritomo 山縣 有朋 (1838–1922)	24 December 1889	6 May 1891	1 year, 134 days	—	Military (Army)	3. Yamagata I
						1890
		Count Matsukata Masayoshi 松方 正義 (1835–1924)	6 May 1891	8 August 1892	1 year, 95 days	—	Independent (Meiji oligarchy)	4. Matsukata I
						1892
		Marquess Itō Hirobumi 伊藤 博文 (1841–1909)	8 August 1892	31 August 1896	4 years, 24 days	—	Independent (Meiji oligarchy)	5. Itō II
						Mar.1894
						Sep.1894
During this interval, Privy Council Chairman Kuroda Kiyotaka was the acting Prime Minister.
		Count Matsukata Masayoshi 松方 正義 (1835–1924)	18 September 1896	12 January 1898	1 year, 117 days	—	Independent (Meiji oligarchy)	6. Matsukata II
		Marquess Itō Hirobumi 伊藤 博文 (1841–1909)	12 January 1898	30 June 1898	170 days	—	Independent (Meiji oligarchy)	7. Itō III
						Mar.1898
		Count Ōkuma Shigenobu 大隈 重信 (1838–1922)	30 June 1898	8 November 1898	132 days	—	Kenseitō	8. Ōkuma I
						Aug.1898
		Count Yamagata Aritomo 山縣 有朋 (1838–1922)	8 November 1898	19 October 1900	1 year, 346 days	—	Military (Army)	9. Yamagata II
		Marquess Itō Hirobumi 伊藤 博文 (1841–1909)	19 October 1900	10 May 1901	204 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai	10. Itō IV
During this interval, President of the Privy Council Saionji Kinmochi was the acting Prime Minister.
		Count Katsura Tarō 桂 太郎 (1848–1913)	2 June 1901	7 January 1906	4 years, 220 days	—	Military (Army)	11. Katsura I
						1902
						1903
						1904
		Marquess Saionji Kinmochi 西園寺 公望 (1849–1940)	7 January 1906	14 July 1908	2 years, 190 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai	12. Saionji I
						1908
		Prince Katsura Tarō 桂 太郎 (1848–1913)	14 July 1908	30 August 1911	3 years, 48 days	—	Military (Army)	13. Katsura II
		Marquess Saionji Kinmochi 西園寺 公望 (1849–1940)	30 August 1911	21 December 1912	1 year, 114 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai	14. Saionji II
						1912
									Taishō r. 1912 – 1926 (Taishō era)
		Prince Katsura Tarō 桂 太郎 (1848–1913)	21 December 1912	20 February 1913	62 days	—	Independent	15. Katsura III
		Count Yamamoto Gonnohyōe 山本 權兵衛 (1852–1933)	20 February 1913	16 April 1914	1 year, 56 days	—	Military (Navy)	16. Yamamoto I
		Marquess Ōkuma Shigenobu 大隈 重信 (1838–1922)	16 April 1914	9 October 1916	2 years, 177 days	—	Rikken Dōshikai	17. Ōkuma II
						1915
		Count Terauchi Masatake 寺内 正毅 (1852–1919)	9 October 1916	29 September 1918	1 year, 356 days	—	Military (Army)	18. Terauchi
						1917
		Hara Takashi 原 敬 Rep for Morioka (1856–1921)	29 September 1918	4 November 1921	3 years, 37 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai	19. Hara
						1920
During this interval, Foreign Minister Uchida Kōsai was the acting Prime Minister.
		Viscount Takahashi Korekiyo 高橋 是清 (1854–1936)	13 November 1921	12 June 1922	212 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai	20. Takahashi
		Baron Katō Tomosaburō 加藤 友三郎 (1861–1923)	12 June 1922	24 August 1923	1 year, 74 days	—	Military (Navy)	21. Katō To.
During this interval, Foreign Minister Uchida Kōsai was the acting Prime Minister.
		Count Yamamoto Gonnohyōe 山本 權兵衛 (1852–1933)	2 September 1923	7 January 1924	128 days	—	Military (Navy)	22. Yamamoto II
		Viscount Kiyoura Keigo 清浦 奎吾 (1850–1942)	7 January 1924	11 June 1924	157 days	—	Independent	23. Kiyoura
		Viscount Katō Takaaki 加藤 高明 (1860–1926)	11 June 1924	28 January 1926	1 year, 232 days	1924	Kenseikai	24. Katō Ta.
During this interval, Interior Minister Wakatsuki Reijirō was the acting Prime Minister.
		Wakatsuki Reijirō 若槻 禮次郎 (1866–1949)	30 January 1926	20 April 1927	1 year, 81 days	—	Kenseikai	25. Wakatsuki I
									Shōwa r. 1926 – 1989 (Shōwa era)
		Baron Tanaka Giichi 田中 義一 (1864–1929)	20 April 1927	2 July 1929	2 years, 74 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai	26. Tanaka G.
						1928
		Hamaguchi Osachi 濱口 雄幸 Rep for Kochi 2nd (1870–1931)	2 July 1929	14 April 1931	1 year, 287 days	—	Rikken Minseitō	27. Hamaguchi
						1930
During this interval, Foreign Minister Kijūrō Shidehara was the acting Prime Minister.
		Baron Wakatsuki Reijirō 若槻 禮次郎 (1866–1949)	14 April 1931	13 December 1931	244 days	—	Rikken Minseitō	28. Wakatsuki II
		Inukai Tsuyoshi 犬養 毅 Rep for Okayama 2nd (1855–1932)	13 December 1931	15 May 1932	155 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai	29. Inukai
						1932
During this interval, Finance Minister Takahashi Korekiyo was the acting Prime Minister.
		Viscount Saitō Makoto 齋藤 實 (1858–1936)	26 May 1932	8 July 1934	2 years, 44 days	—	Military (Navy)	30. Saitō
		Keisuke Okada 岡田 啓介 (1868–1952)	8 July 1934	9 March 1936	1 year, 246 days	—	Military (Navy)	31. Okada
						1936
During this interval, Interior Minister Fumio Gotō was the acting Prime Minister.
		Kōki Hirota 廣田 弘毅 (1878–1948)	9 March 1936	2 February 1937	331 days	—	Independent	32. Hirota
		Senjūrō Hayashi 林 銑十郞 (1876–1943)	2 February 1937	4 June 1937	123 days	—	Military (Army)	33. Hayashi
						1937
		Prince Fumimaro Konoe 近衞 文麿 (1891–1945)	4 June 1937	5 January 1939	1 year, 216 days	—	Independent	34. Konoe I
		Baron Kiichirō Hiranuma 平沼 騏一郞 (1867–1952)	5 January 1939	30 August 1939	238 days	—	Independent	35. Hiranuma
		Nobuyuki Abe 阿部 信行 (1875–1953)	30 August 1939	16 January 1940	140 days	—	Military (Army)	36. N. Abe
		Mitsumasa Yonai 米内 光政 (1880–1948)	16 January 1940	22 July 1940	189 days	—	Military (Navy)	37. Yonai
		Prince Fumimaro Konoe 近衞 文麿 (1891–1945)	22 July 1940	18 October 1941	1 year, 89 days	—	Independent	38. Konoe II
							Taisei Yokusankai
								39. Konoe III
		Hideki Tōjō 東條 英機 (1884–1948)	18 October 1941	22 July 1944	2 years, 279 days	—	Taisei Yokusankai	40. Tōjō
						1942
		Kuniaki Koiso 小磯 國昭 (1880–1950)	22 July 1944	7 April 1945	260 days	—	Taisei Yokusankai	41. Koiso
		Baron Kantarō Suzuki 鈴木 貫太郞 (1868–1948)	7 April 1945	17 August 1945	133 days	—	Taisei Yokusankai	42. K. Suzuki
							Independent
		Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni 東久邇宮稔彦王 (1887–1990)	17 August 1945	9 October 1945	54 days	—	Imperial Family	43. Higashikuni (Allied occupation; since 28 August 1945)
		Baron Kijūrō Shidehara 幣原 喜重郞 (1872–1951)	9 October 1945	22 May 1946	226 days	—	Independent	44. Shidehara (Allied occupation)
		Shigeru Yoshida 吉田 茂 (1878–1967)	22 May 1946	24 May 1947	1 year, 3 days	1946	Liberal	45. Yoshida I (Allied occupation)
		Tetsu Katayama 片山 哲 Rep for Kanagawa 3rd (1887–1978)	24 May 1947	10 March 1948	292 days	1947	Socialist	46. Katayama (Allied occupation)
		Hitoshi Ashida 芦田 均 Rep for Kyōto 2nd (1887–1959)	10 March 1948	15 October 1948	220 days	—	Democratic	47. Ashida (Allied occupation)
		Shigeru Yoshida 吉田 茂 Rep for Kōchi At-large (1878–1967)	15 October 1948	10 December 1954	6 years, 57 days	—	Democratic Liberal	48. Yoshida II (Allied occupation)
						1949		49. Yoshida III (Allied occupation; until 28 April 1952)
							Liberal
						1952		50. Yoshida IV
						1953		51. Yoshida V
		Ichirō Hatoyama 鳩山 一郎 Rep for Tokyo 1st (1883–1959)	10 December 1954	23 December 1956	2 years, 14 days	—	Japan Democratic	52. Hatoyama I. I
						1955		53. Hatoyama I. II
						—	Liberal Democratic	54. Hatoyama I. III
		Tanzan Ishibashi 石橋 湛山 Rep for Shizuoka 2nd (1884–1973)	23 December 1956	25 February 1957	65 days	—	Liberal Democratic	55. Ishibashi
		Nobusuke Kishi 岸 信介 Rep for Yamaguchi 2nd (1896–1987)	25 February 1957	19 July 1960	3 years, 146 days	—	Liberal Democratic	56. Kishi I
						1958		57. Kishi II
		Hayato Ikeda 池田 勇人 Rep for Hiroshima 2nd (1899–1965)	19 July 1960	9 November 1964	4 years, 114 days	—	Liberal Democratic	58. Ikeda I
						1960		59. Ikeda II
						1963		60. Ikeda III
		Eisaku Satō 佐藤 榮作 Rep for Yamaguchi 2nd (1901–1975)	9 November 1964	7 July 1972	7 years, 242 days	—	Liberal Democratic	61. Satō I
						1967		62. Satō II
						1969		63. Satō III
		Kakuei Tanaka 田中 角榮 Rep for Niigata 3rd (1918–1993)	7 July 1972	9 December 1974	2 years, 156 days	—	Liberal Democratic	64. Tanaka K. I
						1972		65. Tanaka K. II
		Takeo Miki 三木 武夫 Rep for Tokushima At-large (1907–1988)	9 December 1974	24 December 1976	2 years, 16 days	—	Liberal Democratic	66. Miki
		Takeo Fukuda 福田 赳夫 Rep for Gunma 3rd (1905–1995)	24 December 1976	7 December 1978	1 year, 349 days	1976	Liberal Democratic	67. Fukuda T.
		Masayoshi Ōhira 大平 正芳 Rep for Kagawa 2nd (1910–1980)	7 December 1978	12 June 1980	1 year, 189 days	—	Liberal Democratic	68. Ōhira I
						1979		69. Ōhira II
During this interval, Chief Cabinet Secretary Masayoshi Ito was the acting Prime Minister.
		Zenkō Suzuki 鈴木 善幸 Rep for Iwate 1st (1911–2004)	17 July 1980	27 November 1982	2 years, 134 days	1980	Liberal Democratic	70. Suzuki Z.
		Yasuhiro Nakasone 中曽根 康弘 Rep for Gunma 3rd (1918–2019)	27 November 1982	6 November 1987	4 years, 345 days	—	Liberal Democratic	71. Nakasone I
						1983		72. Nakasone II
						1986		73. Nakasone III
		Noboru Takeshita 竹下 登 Rep for Shimane At-large (1924–2000)	6 November 1987	3 June 1989	1 year, 210 days	—	Liberal Democratic	74. Takeshita
									Akihito (Heisei) r. 1989 – 2019 (Heisei era)
		Sōsuke Uno 宇野 宗佑 Rep for Shiga At-large (1922–1998)	3 June 1989	10 August 1989	69 days	—	Liberal Democratic	75. Uno
		Toshiki Kaifu 海部 俊樹 Rep for Aichi 3rd (1931–2022)	10 August 1989	5 November 1991	2 years, 88 days	—	Liberal Democratic	76. Kaifu I
						1990		77. Kaifu II
		Kiichi Miyazawa 宮澤 喜一 Rep for Hiroshima 3rd (1919–2007)	5 November 1991	9 August 1993	1 year, 278 days	—	Liberal Democratic	78. Miyazawa
		Morihiro Hosokawa 細川 護熙 Rep for Kumamoto 1st (born 1938)	9 August 1993	28 April 1994	263 days	1993	New	79. Hosokawa
		Tsutomu Hata 羽田 孜 Rep for Nagano 2nd (1935–2017)	28 April 1994	30 June 1994	64 days	—	Renewal	80. Hata
		Tomiichi Murayama 村山 富市 Rep for Ōita 1st (born 1924)	30 June 1994	11 January 1996	1 year, 196 days	—	Socialist	81. Murayama
		Ryūtarō Hashimoto 橋本 龍太郎 Rep for Okayama 4th (1937–2006)	11 January 1996	30 July 1998	2 years, 201 days	—	Liberal Democratic	82. Hashimoto I
						1996		83. Hashimoto II
		Keizō Obuchi 小渕 恵三 Rep for Gunma 5th (1937–2000)	30 July 1998	5 April 2000	1 year, 251 days	—	Liberal Democratic	84. Obuchi
		Yoshirō Mori 森 喜朗 Rep for Ishikawa 2nd (born 1937)	5 April 2000	26 April 2001	1 year, 22 days	—	Liberal Democratic	85. Mori I
						2000		86. Mori II
		Junichiro Koizumi 小泉 純一郎 Rep for Kanagawa 11th (born 1942)	26 April 2001	26 September 2006	5 years, 154 days	—	Liberal Democratic	87. Koizumi I
						2003		88. Koizumi II
						2005		89. Koizumi III
		Shinzo Abe 安倍 晋三 Rep for Yamaguchi 4th (1954–2022)	26 September 2006	26 September 2007	1 year, 1 day	—	Liberal Democratic	90. Abe S. I
		Yasuo Fukuda 福田 康夫 Rep for Gunma 4th (born 1936)	26 September 2007	24 September 2008	365 days	—	Liberal Democratic	91. Fukuda Y.
		Tarō Asō 麻生 太郎 Rep for Fukuoka 8th (born 1940)	24 September 2008	16 September 2009	358 days	—	Liberal Democratic	92. Asō
		Yukio Hatoyama 鳩山 由紀夫 Rep for Hokkaido 9th (born 1947)	16 September 2009	8 June 2010	266 days	2009	Democratic	93. Hatoyama Y.
		Naoto Kan 菅 直人 Rep for Tokyo 18th (born 1946)	8 June 2010	2 September 2011	1 year, 87 days	—	Democratic	94. Kan
		Yoshihiko Noda 野田 佳彦 Rep for Chiba 4th (born 1957)	2 September 2011	26 December 2012	1 year, 116 days	—	Democratic	95. Noda
		Shinzo Abe 安倍 晋三 Rep for Yamaguchi 4th (1954–2022)	26 December 2012	16 September 2020	7 years, 266 days	2012	Liberal Democratic	96. Abe S. II
						2014		97. Abe S. III
						2017		98. Abe S. IV
									Naruhito (Reiwa) r. 2019 – present (Reiwa era)
		Yoshihide Suga 菅 義偉 Rep for Kanagawa 2nd (born 1948)	16 September 2020	4 October 2021	1 year, 19 days	—	Liberal Democratic	99. Suga
		Fumio Kishida 岸田 文雄 Rep for Hiroshima 1st (born 1957)	4 October 2021	Incumbent	2 years, 204 days	—	Liberal Democratic	100. Kishida I
						2021		101. Kishida II (R1) (R2)

Timeline

Relations between Japanese prime ministers

See also

• List of prime ministers of Japan by time in office
• Lifespan timeline of prime ministers of Japan
• List of prime ministers of Japan by education
• List of prime ministers of Japan by home prefecture
• List of Japanese cabinets
• Deputy Prime Minister of Japan